Yebes

The Observatory of Yebes is operated by the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (a Directorate General of the Ministry for Public Works, 'Ministerio de Fomento'). The site is at a height of approximately 930m above sea level in the Guadalajara province (about 80km from Madrid). It includes four main scientific installations:

A. The 40m radiotelescope

B. The 13.2m radiotelescope, part of the RAEGE Network (Red Atlántica de Estaciones Geodinámicas y Espaciales)

C. The anechoic chamber

D. The gravimetry station

With three geodetic techniques (radioastronomy, gravimetry, and permanent station for reception of the global navigation satellite system, GNSS), the Observatory of Yebes is at present the fundamental geodetic station in Spain. The design and construction of a new generation Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) system, considered in this strategic plan, will complement the station with a fourth geodetic measurement technique (there are only 7 such 4-technique geodetic stations in the world). The Yebes Observatory is very well framed in the international context. The 40m radiotelescope is one of the most important nodes of the European VLBI Network (EVN), and it is a observing station of the International VLBI Service (IVS). The 13.2m radiotelescope is part of the RAEGE, which is itself one of the most important components of the VLBI2010 Geodetic Observing System (VGOS) and of the Geodetic Global Observing Systems (GGOS). The gravimetry station, designed for gravimeter intercomparisons, is being inserted in the International Gravity Reference System (IGRS). The observatory also hosts a very well equipped laboratory for the development of state-of-the-art low noise amplifiers, a laboratory for the development of radio receivers. All installations of the Yebes Observatory are available for the use of the scientific community. This RI is an ICTS (Unique Scientific and Technological Infrastructure), included in the Spanish National Roadmap for RIs.

Location